the book…longer than the last one, I mean. It’s just feeling that way, in the pacing.
But we’ll see. Sometimes pace is difficult to predict, even with a close outline.

The fish: it’s been off-again on-again with the weather today, warm, then icy chill and raining, then sun-warm again.

We’ve had one poor fish that developed a fungus, a very bad one that’s eroded his fins somewhat, and sheeted thickly over his back, and then turned green with algae. This happens because the bacteria wake up before the fishes’ immune systems do. We’ve had an uncomfortably cold spring, and it’s just hovered forever right in that danger zone between bacteria waking and fish fully waking, and this poor fish continues to hibernate most of the time, but is uncatchable, because his danger-sense sends him into an exhausting race every time I’ve tried to snag him for treatment.

The weather is now definitively warming, and this poor fish has waked up and is eating, and the fungus is now retreating without treatment. He was so bad I had thought I would have to put him down if I could ever catch him—and here he is swimming with the rest and visibly improved. I’m amazed, and happy if I can save him. He’s not a pretty fish: he’s plain carp over most of his back, and never was pretty, but he’s clearly determined, and I’m trying every chance I get to feed him. As his immune system wakes up with the warmth there is a chance his body is fighting back with enough strength to get rid of this stuff. None of the pure koi are affected, just this poor fellow, and only where he has carp-scales, a dull green bronze. Curious.

But I am so hoping he will make it. A fish this stubborn deserves a chance. And he’s making his own.